I hadn't slept at all. I kept thinking about what went wrong. About how i should have stopped Jake from going. And stopped Richy from doing what he did. Even if i hadn't know then that he would put fire to the mine with himself in it.
So i can't help myself but try. I'm only human.
>Me
Jake, please answer that...
>Me
The mine caught fire. The man without a face... It was Richy. He told me that he wanted to burn the mine after helping Hannah and himself. Making it so Michael would have been the one to do that. But he couldn't do that, not after getting shot by Dan.
>Me
Please, please tell me that you weren't inside anymore. Tell me you had time to go out !
>Me
Jake... I love you. I love you so much it actually hurt. I pray and pray that all of that is just a nightmare.
I stopped myself from sending any more messages. What good would that do ? The 'Jake is now offline' was mocking me. And i didn't even know if my messages were coming through.
Sighing, i got up and opened the door silently. If i was hearing good, Jessy was asleep. She had cried for a long time before i stopped hearing her. She must been exhausted. I had in mind to make breakfast, even if i wouldn't eat any of it.
In the kitchen, i quickly found myself working. I had found eggs in the fridge. That would have to do for now. As i don't think Jessy will eat that much too. Picking a pan, i opened the stove and put the pan on it with a bit of butter.
Ten minutes later, the scrambled eggs were in a plate, on the table. I was taking the orange juice out of the fridge when i heard a noise behind me. Turning around, Jessy was just entering the kitchen.
I smiled at her, putting the juice on the table.
"I took the liberty to make breakfast. It's just eggs, sorry."
She sat down, smiling lightly at me. "It's alright, i like eggs."
"Good. I made tea too." I said, putting the tea-pot on the table with a cup next to it. Sitting down too, i just picked a glass of juice, looking at her while she took the tea.
"You don't eat ?" She moved her head to the side, picking a bit of eggs on her fork.
"No. I'm not hungry. Don't worry about that." I smiled again while she eyed me suspiciously. Not only i never eat the morning, but wouldn't be hungry for a long time. I never want to eat when i'm anxious. And right now, my anxiety is at its top.
"Alright... Thank you for making breakfast Judith."
"That's the least i could do as you're letting me stay here."
"Hmhm, even with the circumstances, i'm happy that you're here."
I smiled again, even if i had to forced it a little. Drinking my juice, i thought about how i would have to speak with Alan Bloomgate. Maybe i should speak with him sooner than later. I wanted to be done with all of that. And i didn't want to think about it anymore. But i knew this wouldn't be possible.
"Are you going to see the other today ?" I asked Jessy who was putting his plate in the sink after throwing the leftovers in the trash.
"The other are probably going to try and see Hannah. You should come too. After all it's thanks to you that she's alive."
"It's thanks to Jake that she's alive right now. Not me." I said, smiling sadly. "But i'll have to decline. I'll text Alan that i'll come to the police office. I want to be done as soon as possible."
"I understand... Are you going now ?"
"I think, yeah. Just have to message him. I probably won't wait until he answer." As he ignore me sometimes. But well.
"Do you want me to bring you there ?"
"It's alright, i'll manage. I just need you to lend me some clothes if you could ?"
She nodded and left to go back to her room. I sighed and started to wash the thing i had used to do the breakfast. It would keep my mind busy for five minutes at least.
"Oh no ! Don't bother with the dishes, i can do them Judith !"
I turned around, hands covered with soap to see Jessy coming to me.
"I used them, i can washed them, i assure you Jessy." I smiled, retracting my hands when she tried to pick the glass i had in them. "I will not hesitate to put soap on you if you continue this Miss. Hawkins !"
"Try me."
"You provoked me, i denied every responsibility." I said while trying to put my hands on her. She screamed when i touched her hair, putting bubbles in them. "See, told you."
"Judith !"
"I'm innocent." The last glass was dried, returning in the cupboard above us. "There, all clean."
"Yes, yes. Now go in the bathroom. I put the clothes there. Nothing fancy don't worry."
"Thanks Jessy." I patted her head, spreading the soap while laughing a little.
She screamed again while i got upstairs. I never really thought about it but i could see Jessy as a sort of little sister, i guess. She was younger than me by a year, which wasn't much but still.
Inside the bathroom, were a shower, a toilet and the sink. Plus some decoration and stuff, nothing too fancy. The clothes were hanging on a hanger. A baby blue sweater and a pair of jeans.
Before going in the shower, i took my phone that i had in my pocket so i could text Alan. I would have to charge it when i get my charger from my bike.
>Me
Hello, i'll be coming at the police station in about forty minutes. See you.
Putting my phone on the sink, i put up my hair. "Good, now shower."
I placed the water on the warm side, not even waiting for it to warm up. I wouldn't stay under the water longer than five minutes. I needed to see Alan and bring this case to an end.
Once i was fully clothed and good to go, i waved at Jessy who was on the couch, telling her i would be going. She gave me a spare key from her apartment, in case she wasn't home when i came back. I thanked her and left the apartment.
It was still raining outside. Not much but enough to tell that it was raining. I wouldn't be drench when i got to the station at least, which is a plus.
Ten minutes later, i was once again in front of the building.
"Well, here i go to my fate."
Not that they can do anything to me. I will just avoid talking about Jake. They don't need to know about that.
Entering, i could see the same guy as before at the front desk. Does he never sleep ?
I walked to him. "Hello. I need to talk to Alan Bloomgate."
"Do you have a meeting ? Mister Bloomgate is busy." He said, typing something on his computer.
"Well, i'm busy too. And he should be expecting me. You can ask him."
He hummed, looking me up and down before typing again on the computer. I was seconds away from shouting. He was getting on my nerves.
"Listen, if you want problems, it's not mine. But i would suggest that you go find Alan Bloomgate right this instant befo-"
"Miss Tolis."
I turned around to be faced with Alan. Good. I was starting to get angry.
"I told you to call me Judith."
"Ah. Of course. You can come with me. And officer Marcos, next time you see her, call me. She's important to this case." He looked at him, giving him a hard gaze.
"R-right, sorry sir."
Alan didn't respond to him, he simply asked me to follow him. We walked until he opened a room that looked like an interrogation room. Like one of those in the movies and stuff. A table, two chairs. And a sort of microphone in the center of the table.
"You can sit on one side of the table. Either side is fine."
I nodded my head, sitting on the chair opposite to the door. Alan took the other one, putting a notebook and pen on the table. He then search for something in his pocket, retrieving a small gray recorder.
"I will be recording this session. Do you mind ?"
"I mean, it's not like i can't say no, right ?"
"You understood, good."
He opened his notebook and pen before pushing some buttons on the recorder. He then begun to talk.
"This is Alan Bloomgate, police chief of the Duskwood police. It is the twenty ninth of May two thousand and twenty two. It is currently nine eleven o'clock. I am here with Miss Judith Tolis. Now Miss, could you state your full name and relationship with the case."
"My name is Judith Anna Tolis. I was brought into this case by Hannah Donfort or whoever had possession of her phone at the time of her disappearance. My number was sent to her boyfriend, Thomas Miller."
I remember that day like it was yesterday. But then again it hadn't been that long, only a couple of weeks. Even if it felt longer than that.
"Did you know Hannah Donfort at that time ?"
"No. Never saw her, never talked to her. I still don't know how my number was sent. Or why it was sent." And it will stay a secret until the end.
He nodded, writing something on his paper. Not that i could read from here. But probably what i was saying, in case something goes wrong with the recorder. I don't know.
"How did you know where to search for Hannah Donfort ? Even the police didn't have any lead to the Grimrock or the Ironsplinter mine."
"Straightforward. He told me where to find Hannah."
"Him ?"
"The... kidnapper." I looked to my side, not wanting to use Richy's name. I don't think they know it's him for the time being.
"The kidnapper, told you where to find the girl he had taken ?"
"Yes. He told me to come and he would let her go."
"And you came ?"
"Well, i'm here, aren't i ?" I refused to talk about how Jake was originally the one to come. I should have come before him. He would have be safe.
"Hm. You mentioned that there was a possibility someone else inside the mines."
Shit.
"I thought my friends were there. But as you saw, all of them were safe."
He wasn't dumb. And one look at him and i could see that he knew i was lying. But he didn't say anything, much to my surprise
"Why did you help your friends ? To look after Hannah ?"
"I mean, i never really had a choice. I was threaten by the kidnapper too. No way out of that. So i helped."
Alan was writing non stop on his notebook, spare for the couple of glances that he was giving me between questions. I would have some questions for him too after that.
"How were you able to come up with all of those evidences ? Did you have any help from that hacker we heard of ?"
And now, i knew i wouldn't have any way out. I couldn't deny that i never knew Jake and that he never helped me. Because even me, i knew i wouldn't have been able to find all of those things.
"He helped me a few times. I got to Hannah myself. Wasn't that what you wanted ? Plus, i lost contact with him some time ago. I wouldn't be of any help at all."
Not a truth but also not a lie. Judith, you're killing this.
"Alright. I think that will mark the end of the session. It was Alan Bloomgate and Judith Tolis. Thank you."
He then ended the recording by pushing on one of the buttons. But i knew it wasn't done. I knew a determined stare when i saw one. I used mine too much time to track the number.
"I know someone was inside of the mine."
"Good for you. You will have news when the search party begin. Until then, i know nothing." I said, taping my finger on the table.
He stayed quiet for a few seconds before responding. "You're lucky i'm not the bad type of police officer."
"I guess i am. But you wouldn't push an heartbroken lady, right Mister Bloomgate ?" I teased him, knowing that i would probably pushed him too much.
And i knew why i was doing that. It was irrational but i was doing that for the thrill. Thrill that never came as there was a knock on the door.
"Damn..." I broke eye contact with Alan as he stood up to open the door.
"What ?"
I must have angered him because his voice was hard and far from polite when he spoke to the other guy outside the room. But, i froze when i heard what was being said.
"The search party has begun."